Dear Juno (or Any Other Teen in the Same Situation):
My name is Jessica and I am a senior in high school. As I was watching your predicament unravel before my eyes in a span of ninety-six minutes, I couldn't help but put myself in your position; being just one year apart, it’s not hard to put myself in your shoes. While I believe you made an irresponsible and careless mistake going about losing your virginity and the lack of planning and preparedness involved in the act itself, you handled your unexpected pregnancy with more grace than most teenagers.
You embodied what every teenager in your position should have, or could have done: you considered all of the possible and available options and picked the least selfish one that not only benefited you but also your baby and fulfilled the dreams of another. Your actions that began this roller-coaster of a mess may have been reckless, but the end result was admirable. You were smart to plan during your pregnancy and choose Vanessa as your son’s adoptive mother and even smarter enough to realize that you weren't mature enough to be a fit mother to a newborn baby, at your age. For any expecting parent(s), planning is probably the most important factor and you and Vanessa definitely planned; maybe that’s why, in the end you felt content with your decision for adoption.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that you didn't go through the abortion, but that doesn't mean that I’m pro-life. Contradictory to my Catholic upbringing, I stand on the side of pro-choice. I believe that every woman, no matter what race, religion, or opinion she has on this matter, has the right to choose and as the 14th Amendment states, a right to privacy. Just because my religion claims that abortion is “murder” and shouldn't be practiced, it doesn't mean that I or anyone else have the right to cram that belief down peoples’ throats. In my opinion, religion is not meant to be used as a constant weapon wielded to make people, women in particular, uncomfortable in their decisions, but rather to stand as a sign of your faith and a reminder to be a better and compassionate person; something that the people who violently harassed those who had an abortion before and after the Roe vs. Wade decision, lack.
As I put myself in your shoes, I can’t even begin to image what I would have done. I’d like to believe I would choose to keep the baby or put it up for adoption, just like you, but I know there would be a small part of me, the part that wants to complete my goal of achieving my M.D. without having anything stand in my way, would be considering and debating the idea of an abortion. But then, I feel that abortions are just not for me and think back to adoption and know that that would end up being the smartest and healthiest choice for both my future and the baby’s future. Taking responsibility for my hypothetical actions is the least I could do.
Abortions and adoptions are more than statistics and numbers; they are very real and highly important concepts that every expecting teen needs to consider carefully and maturely. That is why I am amazed and full of respect for what you had to endure and accomplish… even though you kind of set yourself up for pregnancy.
My name is Jessica and I am a senior in high school. As I was watching your predicament unravel before my eyes in a span of ninety-six minutes, I couldn't help but put myself in your position; being just one year apart, it’s not hard to put myself in your shoes. While I believe you made an irresponsible and careless mistake going about losing your virginity and the lack of planning and preparedness involved in the act itself, you handled your unexpected pregnancy with more grace than most teenagers.
You embodied what every teenager in your position should have, or could have done: you considered all of the possible and available options and picked the least selfish one that not only benefited you but also your baby and fulfilled the dreams of another. Your actions that began this roller-coaster of a mess may have been reckless, but the end result was admirable. You were smart to plan during your pregnancy and choose Vanessa as your son’s adoptive mother and even smarter enough to realize that you weren't mature enough to be a fit mother to a newborn baby, at your age. For any expecting parent(s), planning is probably the most important factor and you and Vanessa definitely planned; maybe that’s why, in the end you felt content with your decision for adoption.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that you didn't go through the abortion, but that doesn't mean that I’m pro-life. Contradictory to my Catholic upbringing, I stand on the side of pro-choice. I believe that every woman, no matter what race, religion, or opinion she has on this matter, has the right to choose and as the 14th Amendment states, a right to privacy. Just because my religion claims that abortion is “murder” and shouldn't be practiced, it doesn't mean that I or anyone else have the right to cram that belief down peoples’ throats. In my opinion, religion is not meant to be used as a constant weapon wielded to make people, women in particular, uncomfortable in their decisions, but rather to stand as a sign of your faith and a reminder to be a better and compassionate person; something that the people who violently harassed those who had an abortion before and after the Roe vs. Wade decision, lack.
As I put myself in your shoes, I can’t even begin to image what I would have done. I’d like to believe I would choose to keep the baby or put it up for adoption, just like you, but I know there would be a small part of me, the part that wants to complete my goal of achieving my M.D. without having anything stand in my way, would be considering and debating the idea of an abortion. But then, I feel that abortions are just not for me and think back to adoption and know that that would end up being the smartest and healthiest choice for both my future and the baby’s future. Taking responsibility for my hypothetical actions is the least I could do.
Abortions and adoptions are more than statistics and numbers; they are very real and highly important concepts that every expecting teen needs to consider carefully and maturely. That is why I am amazed and full of respect for what you had to endure and accomplish… even though you kind of set yourself up for pregnancy.
Sincerely,
Jessica